How To OverCome StageFright

Stage Fright...the dreaded curse of musicians, singers and performers the world over....from the grandiose Ongakudo concert-hall of Ishikawa...to the back-room of a working-class pub in Ipswich...if that stage fright bug's gonna bite ya...it's gonna bite ya bad...and there ain't nothing you can do about it....or is there?

From seemingly self-assured wit, Stephen Fry, to highly talented and successful singer, Adele, and through to XTC front man Andy Partridge, it hits a whole raft of showbiz and entertainment people.

It's said that 90% of people feel this kind of 'social anxiety' before taking the stage...prior to fumbling with the mike...or during the build-up to delivering their art to the public before them.

So...what can we do to shake a stick at this pressure?

We can avoid public exposure totally...curl up in a ball and stay in our panelled den for the rest of our days...or we can do something about it.

We need a little anxiety before presenting ourselves to the audience because we don't want to lose the edge of spontaneity and come across as a robot of perfection...like a machine programmed with words and sounds and images that have no flexibility. If we are to lose ALL of our nervousness we might as well stick a record-player on the stage...or set up a video screen to entertain with clinical precision. Who wants to come out and pay good money to see a machine, though? They can have that at home.

Practice until you are comfortable and completely natural with your routine....comfortable but not clinical.

Learn your craft with an uncluttered mind so that you can concentrate on the job in hand...be confident in your own ability.

Believe you can do it...and you can do it.

Practice again...until you are comfortable again. Keep going through your act...your recital...your speech...until it becomes second-nature.

• RETAIN A LITTLE SPONTANEITY

• KEEP THAT EDGE
  

• PRACTICE BUT KEEP IT NATURAL
  

• BE CONFIDENT
  

• BE HAPPY
  

If you are about to start performing in front of the public on a regular basis...it can be a good idea to do your show for family at home or even for friends at a formal gathering. Let's say...for example...that you are a proud purveyor of stand-up comedy and you have a new routine about to be unleashed upon the paying public. Why not sit your family down over a few drinks and give them a preview? This way you'll see what works and you'll get to drive the format and structure into your mind without unleashing it blindly on a room filled with unfamiliar and unforgiving faces. Your family won't be harsh on you if you trip and stumble before you get it dead right. Your friends will be the same...and will afford you that little bit of room for error...without blowing your magnificent reputation out of the water.

You would do well to record your little family and friends shows too...so that you can watch them back and hone your art later on...picking and choosing the parts that work well and ditching the parts that suck.

• GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER
• SHOW IT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS
  
• INVITE FAIR APPRAISAL
  
• RECORD THE SHOW
  
• REVIEW AND EDIT LATER
  

CONGRATULATIONS...YOU ARE NOW READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD

LAST...BUT NOT LEAST...BEFORE YOU STEP ONTO THAT STAGE...SAY TO YOURSELF:

"WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN?"

YOU'RE A STAR

NOTE FROM ANDY (AUTHOR)

IF YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE OR FOUND IT USEFUL OR ENTERTAINING IN ANY WAY WOULD YOU PLEASE SHARE IT FOR OTHERS TO SEE...AND PLEASE MAKE A COMMENT BELOW TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT....GOOD OR BAD

I would love to hear your thoughts on this article...so if you have any opinions to offer...or experiences or examples to share...please put them in the 'comments ' section below.

Perhaps you have your own story to tell ?

What do you think ?

How do you feel ?

What is your opinion ?

Are you working on something similar ?

I will respond to all comments and I look forward to hearing from you

Thank You

Andy